


Between the Raindrops

by MamaSally



Series: Easy as Breathing [6]
Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Divorce, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Moving On, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:53:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24358369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamaSally/pseuds/MamaSally
Summary: Takes place a few weeks after chapter 7 of Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road.Elyza Hopps-Haddish had everything: a loving family, wonderful children, a bread-winning husband. But when Alec decides he wants a divorce, her whole world shatters. Now, with the help of her family and one Gideon Grey, she has to figure out how to put her life back together. But can she keep from falling for the gentle baking fox?Now featuring a cover in chapter 1!
Relationships: Gideon Grey/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Easy as Breathing [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1500854
Comments: 27
Kudos: 45





	Between the Raindrops

**Author's Note:**

> this story is pretty much for me, since i don't reckon that this is many people's cup of tea lol. i wanted a story where Gideon gets with a Hopps sister, so i wrote it. this fic is also a lot of projecting and working on healing for me, so sorry if that makes anyone uncomfortable. shout out to my friends in the ZAA discord server for looking over this first chapter for me.
> 
> also the cover art is done by @afruitvegetable on Twitter, also known as TheBlueberryCarrots! check him out, his art is 10/10!

“I want a divorce.”

Elyza froze. And blinked. Then slowly turned her head to look at her husband, her green eyes wide. “...what?”

Alec sighed, rolling his brown eyes at her from where he sat at the kitchen table. “Don’t act stupid now, Lyza, you know how much that annoys me.”

“Sorry, sorry,” she flinched back, wiping her trembling paws on her apron as she tried to reign herself in. He hated it when she got overly emotional, it was one of the things their marriage counselor had told them to work on. Granted, Amanda also told Alec to try to be more sensitive towards her, but that was neither here nor there. Right now, they very clearly needed to talk about this.

Elyza turned her whole body to her husband, her paws clenching into the material of her apron. “Okay, let’s just talk about this. Why--”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” the buck interrupted her, standing up. “I’m not happy anymore, Lyza. I haven’t been for awhile. I tried to make it work because I didn’t want to break up our family, but our children will be happier this way. _WE_ will be happier this way.” He made his way over to her, reaching up to take her face in his paws. His brown eyes were gentle, full of pity. “You understand, don’t you, dear?”

_Say yes, agree with him, don’t you want him to be happy?_

Her eyes filled with tears as she stared into his, reaching up to cup her paws over his. Her eyes searched his, desperate. “But...what about me? I won’t be happy without you. I love you, Alec.”

The buck sighed and rolled his eyes, pulling his paws away from her and stepping back. “Now don’t go getting hysterical on me, you know how much I hate it when you cry.”

“Alec, please!” She stepped towards him, her paws clasped together as she pleaded with him. “We can work this out! Amanda said she thought we’ve been getting better recently! I will do _anything,_ please, please, don’t do this!” She grabbed at his arm, her heart pounding against her ribs.  
  
Alec yanked his arm out of her grasp, which almost caused her to fall over. She stared up at her husband, the hurt flaring sharp and hot in her chest. The disgust in his gaze broke her heart. How could he look at her like this? She had been with him for ten years. She had turned her head and ignored all of the rumors, the whispers that accused him of cheating on her. She just hadn’t been able to accept it. He was her husband...he was the only male she’d known, the only one she had ever loved. Surely...surely he didn’t mean this…

But all he did was roll his eyes at her again, an exasperated sigh leaving his mouth. “Please, Elyza. Begging? Don’t be pathetic.” He turned his back on her, heading out of the room, calling over his shoulder, “I’ll gather my things and be out before the sun’s down.” Then he was gone.  
  
She collapsed onto her knees, the pain in her chest making her vision swirl in front of her. Ten years...ten years of her life spent with this rabbit...and he was able to end it just like that? With no thought of how it would make her feel?

Elyza allowed herself a few minutes to cry over her broken marriage, burying her face in her paws. She swore she could hear her heart breaking as she sobbed into her palms. What would she say to her family? How could she possibly tell her children? How could she admit to the world that she was a failure as a wife, as a rabbit?  
  
“Mom?”  
  
Her head flew up, her eyes wide as she saw nine of her kits standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Frith, how had she missed them coming in? She quickly stood up, wiping her face with her paws, forcing a smile on her face. “Hey, babies. I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you come in. Give me just a minute and I can have your snack ready, okay?” She nodded at the older ones. “Mary, Mindy, Molly, can you please go upstairs and check on your little sisters? They should be waking up from their nap about now.”  
  
“Yes, mama,” Mary replied for her sisters before they all headed upstairs.

“Sarah, Sammy, Stella, go ahead and get started on your homework,” Elyza told three more of her daughters.  
  
They all nodded, grabbing all of the backpacks and heading over to the table.  
  
“Janey, Joy, you go join them,” Elyza told the last two does, who also went over to the table.  
  
The last kit, her only son, kept standing in the doorway, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. The look he was giving her made her nervous, and Elyza quickly turned away.

“Johnny...please go join your sisters.”

The little bunny didn’t listen. Instead, he ran over to her, wrapping his arms tightly around his mother’s waist. He was shaking, and he whispered fiercely to her, “I’ll never let him hurt you, mama! I promise!”

Her eyes refilled with tears, and she hugged the albino kit back tightly. He was such a sweet boy… “It’ll be okay, Johnny. Everything will be okay.”

But for the first time in her life, Elyza Hopps-Haddish wasn’t sure if that was going to be true.

* * *

The next few days were hell. Alec had made good on his promise to be out before the sun was down on that first day. The first night was the hardest, with his side of the bed so empty and cold. Elyza hadn’t slept alone in nearly ten years, and to have to be doing it so suddenly was not boding well for her. She maybe slept two hours the first night and had to get up the next morning and act like everything was fine. She didn’t want to freak her children out.  
  
Thankfully, her babies were smart and quickly figured out what was going on. None of them asked where their father was or when he was coming home. She wasn’t sure if she was more relieved or pained by that.

It didn’t take long to realize how alone she and her kits were now. All of her “friends” wouldn’t respond to any of her texts or calls after Alec left. That one hurt. A lot. It hurt to know the animals she used to talk to all the time had only talked to her because of her husband. She couldn’t stomach going to her family, not after what had happened at the graduation party for Judy’s new partner. Not after Alec had gotten himself banned from her parents’ burrow. It was just too humiliating to even think about having to admit they were right about him…

Three days later, Elyza was driving home in her truck after grocery shopping. That alone had been a grueling task. She had felt like everyone’s eyes were on her back, staring at her, like they all knew. Just the idea of everyone knowing that her marriage had failed, especially with all the rumors about them that had been going around…

Her eyes filled with tears and she kept having to wipe them away, swallowing down the lump in her throat. Why was this happening to her? She was a good rabbit, a good wife and a good mother. She didn’t deserve this, all she’d ever wanted was to be happy!  
  
She gave up on trying to hold herself in and started sobbing, just letting her tears fall. _Damn it, Alec! How could you do this to me? I was a good wife, I gave you everything! Why are you doing this to me?!_ _  
_  
Rain was pouring outside and she scowled at it through her hysterics. Even the damn sky was mocking her situation. Things couldn’t possibly get any worse.  
  
Except that it did.

As she drove by a flock of birds, they suddenly decided to fly right in front of her truck. Elyza shrieked, jerking the wheel to the side in an attempt to get away from them. The truck swerved and hit a puddle, and she lost control of the vehicle as it crashed into a tree off the side of the road.  
  
At least the airbag didn’t deploy, but holy Frith this was the last thing she needed to happen today.  
  
“Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it!” Elyza slammed her paws on the wheel, screaming and sobbing. “Stupid birds! Stupid truck! Stupid Alec! Stupid, stupid, stupid!” She slammed her paws against the horn but there was no satisfaction as the noise rang out into the rain storm. Her tears were blurring her vision and she didn’t even try to get rid of them. With a wail, she slammed her forehead against the wheel over and over, letting the physical pain block out the pain in her heart, if only for a moment. Finally she stopped, just slumped over the wheel. She whimpered, her eyes closed tight.  
  
“Stupid Elyza…”

She wasn’t sure how long she stayed like that, just letting herself wallow in self-pity. A sudden knock on the side of the truck made her jump, shooting up and staring out the window.  
  
“Hello?? Are ya alright??”  
  
“Gideon Grey?” Elyza sniffled, wiping her face. She unbuckled and opened the door, getting out and grimacing as her feet landed on the wet grass. With a shake of her head and a sigh, she looked up.  
  
The chubby red fox looked shocked when he saw her. “Mizz Lyza?? What’re ya--” He shook his head, hurrying over to her. “Are you alright?”  
  
Elyza nodded, crossing her arms tight in front of herself. “Yeah, I’m okay.” She looked at her truck, scowling when she saw the front crunched against the tree. “My truck isn’t, though.”  
  
“What happened?” he asked her, placing a large paw on her shoulder.  
  
Panic shot through her veins and she jerked away from him almost violently. Alec hated it when other males got close to her, there had been so many nights that ended with him screaming at her and her sobbing and begging for his forgiveness. _He’s not around anymore,_ an inner voice told her.  
  
_He’s still my husband, I need to honor his wishes._  
  
Gideon seemed to understand, though, pulling his paw away and taking a step back. “S-sorry. But what happened?”  
  
She blinked up at him, trying to hide her shaking paws. “Um. Birds. I-I, um, got startled by birds and swerved off the road.” She looked at her truck again, clenching her jaw tight. Damn it. “It’s totalled, isn’t it.” It wasn’t a question.  
  
“Ah, might not be,” Gideon offered, going over to the front to look at it. “Might still be salvageable. Just gotta call a tow truck. And,” he looked over at her, his blue eyes cautious, “we should probably call yer pa.”  
  
Fear went through her and she hurried over to him, reaching out and grabbing his sleeve. “Nonono, please, you CANNOT tell my dad! Please!” Tears were welling up her eyes and she did her best to blink them away. “Please.”  
  
He stared at her, clearly startled by her behavior. “Mizz Lyza, the truck is under his name, right? You gotta tell him.”  
  
“No, no, please, I can’t.” She was trembling now, and she hung her head to keep him from looking at her. “I can’t face them right now, I just can’t, you don’t understand.”  
  
A giant paw gripped her shoulder gently, while the other cupped her chin and lifted her head. His expression was concerned as he looked at her. “Mizz Lyza. What’s goin’ on?” he asked her softly. 

Something about the way he touched her and the tone of his voice broke her. She lurched forward, burying her face in his chest with her paws gripping his shirt as she sobbed. His arms wrapped around her, strong and warm...and safe. She felt so safe right now, safer than she had felt in so long…  
  
“Alec...Alec left me,” she wept, her eyes clenched tight. “He told me he wanted a divorce and he left me, and I’ve been alone for three days and-and...I don’t know what to do.” She leaned her forehead against him, her shoulders shaking.  
  
Gentle paws rubbed her back and ears, his chin resting on top of her head. “I’m so sorry, Mizz Lyza. I’m so sorry.” He held her close, his warmth seeping into her and making her start to go limp against him. “This ain’t yer fault. Alright? It ain’t your fault.”  
  
She shook her head but couldn’t speak. He was wrong, he had to be. This had to be her fault somehow. Alec couldn’t have just decided this suddenly. She must have done something wrong...something…

Gideon held her for a few more moments before gently pushing her back so that he could look at her. He waited for her eyes to meet his before speaking. “Look, I promise not t’ tell yer folks about what’s goin’ on. But we should call them and tell them ‘bout yer accident. Yer pa’s bound t’ find out when the tow company calls him.”  
  
Elyza sighed and nodded, rubbing the tears from her face. “Yeah, you’re right.” The idea of facing her folks was still kind of embarrassing, but… she sighed again. “I should tell them.”  
  
Gideon nodded, keeping a paw on her shoulder. “Do ya want me t’ stay or go?”  
  
“Please stay,” she said automatically, not even thinking about it. “I don’t want to be alone anymore.”  
  
“I’m not gonna leave ya, Mizz Lyza,” the fox assured her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and giving her a gentle squeeze. “I promise.”

* * *

“I knew it! I knew from the first time I laid eyes on that bastard that he was no good!” Stu Hopps declared, pacing back and forth in his kitchen.

“Stu,” Bonnie tried to chide her husband, but he wasn’t hearing it.

“I always knew that he was trouble, I should have never allowed you to marry him,” the buck continued, turning to look at Elyza.

She looked up from where she was seated at the table, her green eyes narrowing at her father. “ _Allowed_ me? I’m perfectly capable of making my own decisions--”

“You’re right, I’m sorry, that’s the wrong word,” Stu acquiesced, holding up his paws. “Of course you are, Lyza, I don’t doubt that.” He lowered his paws and continued his pacing, obviously still angry. “Still, I should have stopped it, he was always no good!”

Elyza groaned and lowered her head back into her paws. From where he was seated at her side, Gideon patted her shoulder with a paw.

They had called a towing company and, just as Gideon had predicted, they had called her father to let him know what happened. Bonnie and Stu both came to pick her up, with Gideon following them in his bakery’s van. They had stopped by her house to put away her groceries and to pick up her children. Now they were in her parents’ burrow, where Bonnie was attempting to make some dinner while Stu was just ranting and raving about Alec. This was definitely not how she had wanted this day to go. _Especially_ since this was the reaction to her telling them about the pending divorce.

Frith, even just thinking about it still made her want to cry…

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about him now,” Bonnie said, stirring something at the stove. “We just have to keep moving forward.”

“Kind of hard to do with my truck busted up,” Elyza groaned, lifting her head.

“That’s an easy fix, we just buy you a new one,” Stu waved her off, still pacing.

“Daddy, no, I can’t let you do that,” she argued.

“Why not? We have the money,” Bonnie told her.

“That’s not the point, Mom.” Elyza turned in her chair to look at the doe. “I need to be able to prove to myself that I can provide for my children by myself, especially now that Alec’s gone.”

“Bastard,” Stu growled.

Bonnie looked at her husband sharply. “Stu. I swear to Frith.”

The buck looked sheepish, his ears falling down his back. “Sorry, Bon.” He looked at his daughter, his ears going back up. “You don’t have to do it alone, Lyza, we’re more than happy to help you.”

Elyza shook her head stubbornly. “And have everyone say that I’m lazy and only rely on my family’s money?” She bit her lip, swallowing down a whine. “There are enough rumors about us going around, I don’t want to give them any more reasons to talk behind my back.” One paw came up to rub at her forehead. “I need a job.”

Everyone was quiet for a few moments, with Bonnie still stirring and Stu still pacing. Elyza rested her cheek against her paw, staring down at the wood grain as she tried to think up a plan. Alec had always been the one to bring in the money, with his being on the city council and helping out the local businesses getting loans. He had always been the one to pay the bills and the mortgage. How was she possibly going to keep up with all of it? She had never worked, she’d been a housewife since they’d got married. It just seemed impossible…

“Hey, Mizz Lyza?” Gideon spoke up from beside her.

“Yeah?” she answered, not bothering to look up.

“If ya need a job...how’re yer bakin’ skills?”

She froze, then slowly looked up at him, her eyes wide. “What?”

The fox looked away from her, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “Well, I mean, right now it’s just me and Travis and his wife workin’ in the bakery, and sometimes I think we could use another set of paws around.” He glanced at her, the insides of his ears tinged pink. “And I was just thinkin’ that, if you need a job, maybe you could come work for me.”

“That’s a great idea, son!” Stu declared, finally standing still. “You’re someone we know and trust, and from what you’ve told me and Bon it’s taking off fairly well.”

“You used to bake with me all the time when you were little, Lyza,” Bonnie piped up, grinning at her. “I think you’d have a lot of fun.”

Elyza looked between her parents before focusing on the fox again. It was true that they had known Gideon for a long time, and for nearly a year now he had been proving to them that he was trustworthy and he really had changed for the better. He had been so kind to her the past few months, offering to help with the kits or carrying her bags when he saw her around town. She could do much worse than having him for a boss.

Slowly, she nodded, her ears going up. “Yeah, sure. Why not?”

Gideon grinned at her, his blue eyes shining. “When can ya start?”

**Author's Note:**

> my Twitter is @mamasallywhite if you're interested in following me. come say hi! i hope everyone is staying safe and healthy, and i will see you all next time.


End file.
